Chinese patrols in disputed South China Sea hit new peak amid high tensions

The patrols show Beijing’s determination to assert control over its claim to more than 80% of the South China Sea. - AFP

BEIJING (Bloomberg): China’s Coast Guard maintained near-daily patrols at key features across the disputed South China Sea last year, ramping up its presence as tensions over the waterway with South-East Asian neighbours remain high, new tracking data shows.

Patrols in the waters surrounding the Vanguard Bank off Vietnam, an area known for its oil and gas reserves and the site of repeated stand-offs between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels, more than doubled to 310 days in 2022, according to the Washington-based Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.